


Let Me Speak to Your Manager

by 17angelsprings



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Retail, Entitled Mom, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Probably a bit if not a lot OOC, Tea, manager!P.I.X.A.L
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 08:23:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/17angelsprings/pseuds/17angelsprings
Summary: Local android manager shuts down entitled mom





	Let Me Speak to Your Manager

Early in the morning, the sunlight filtered through the gigantic glass windows of the minimalistic yet gorgeous interior of Ninjago's one and only Borgstore- for now at least.

Enter in Zane, his icy-blue eyes survey the room and he walks up to the off-black counter with the store's cash register and computer on it. He ran one hand through his towhead locks while the other one fixed his silver nametag on his navy-short sleeved polo shirt. He took off his dark gray jacket and hung it behind him. His glasses (for aesthetic purposes only) were starting to slip off of his face, so Zane pushed them back up his face bt the nose-piece. After consulting his internal clock, he let out a sigh of relief. He had just flipped the open-close sign to say "Open" right on time, marking the beginning of his shift. He glanced over at the manger's office door, but could not see even a strand of his manager's hair through the door's small window. 

_Huh, Pixal would normally be here by now._

As if the phone had read his mind, it buzzed in Zane's pocket and revealed Pixal's message:

"Hey, love. I'm currently held up in traffic so you'll have to open the store without me. Sorry. : ("

"Aw, that's okay, love. You can leave it to me! : D"

"Thanks, love. My calculations tell me that I'll be at the store in about 15 minutes. See you soon, Zane!"

"Ok, see you Pixal!"

Once that message was delivered, he heard a couple of footsteps coming into store grounds. These footsteps belonged to a middle-aged woman with short brown hair and her son who looked no older than ten years old. The kid had a very displeased look on his face, which invoked Zane's curiosity as to why he had such a pissed countenance. However, he paid very little mind to this and opened some documents on the counter's computer. He was reading through them until he heard the footsteps stop right in front of him.

"Good morning, Ma'am. How may I help you today?"

"I would like to buy this laptop for my son. He's gotten very good grades lately."

Zane had no idea why that last piece of information was necessary, but he internally shrugged it off and picked up the scanner. The mom placed the box on the counter and he scanned it. Zane glanced over at the computer afterward.

"That'll be $200.99, Ma'am."

"Oh wait. Here's my coupon."

He took one look at the coupon's expiration date and frowned. He handed it back to her. 

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but this coupon has expired one week ago. I can help you find another laptop for a lower price if that's what you prefer."

In an instant, anger flashed over her face. Fear flashed over her kid's.

"What do mean this coupon expired?"

"Well uh, you see, there's an expiration date stated right there-"

"You stupid stores are all the same! You just want to get all the money you can get. I say this is trickery! Theivery!"

"Ma'am, no one is tricking you. It's there on the coupon that-"

"I demand a free laptop for my son RIGHT NOW!"

"We cannot do that. That is against Borgstore's policy."

"My son got good grades! He deserves it! How fucking dare you take away my son's happiness!?"

Her son facepalmed while the other customers in the store stared blankly at the scene going on. The mom continued yelling at Zane until she felt a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see a light silver-skinned woman with almost the same uniform as Zane (the only difference was that she wore a skirt and an official Borgstore cap). 

"Hey. What's all the fuss?"

The mom shoved the hand off her shoulder. 

"Don't you dare touch me you filthy droi-"

"Uh uh uh! These are android-friendly premises and our staff members have the right to refuse service to any customers who act on anti-android sentiment."

"Well, whatever. If you just let me speak to your manager, we'll be on our way."

"I am the manager."

The mom's face turned a ghostly pale color.

"Oh, hehe. That's great. Now uh, your employee here is not letting me get the free laptop my boy deserves."

"Do you have a coupon that says you could get a free laptop, not that I ever remember the Borgstore ever giving out such coupons."

"Here."

Pixal looked over the coupon. She frowned and looked at Zane, who just shrugged. 

"Nice try, Ma'am, but this is a coupon to get any Borgstore laptop for 40% off and it expired one week ago."

All the other customers within earshot snickered. The mom's face turned red like tomato sauce. She grabbed her son's wrist and rushed out of the store with him. Her son mouthed "I'm sorry" to the manager-employee pair. As soon as they left, the remaining customers were browsing and trying out devices as per usual like nothing happened. Pixal placed a loving hand on Zane's shoulder. She swore she could feel him shaking a little. 

"Hey, are you all right, Zane?"'

"Yeah. I'm all right. I think."

"God, customer service is always tougher than it looks. Dealing with customers like her take so much mental energy out of you. Say, why don't we end our shifts a bit early and get some tea from Mystake's?"

"Normally, it'd be imperative to decline to cut my shift early, but that would be really nice."

Pixal giggled a bit and smiled cheerfully. Zane mirrored it, laughing along as well. When she figured that the customers weren't paying attention, she pecked him on the forehead. This made his smile even wider than before. 

* * *

The faint smell of leafy water filled the noses of the couple. Zane ordered Morrocan mint tea while Pixal had chai. They each reached out a hand to touch the other. They locked their gazes on each other's faces as they sipped tea from the cups in their free hands. Suddenly, a pair of footsteps stopped right next to their table. 

Zane had a nervous look on his face until he turned his head to see the child whose mom he and Pixal dealt with earlier that day. He had a very apologetic look on his face. Pixal turned her head as well to say:

"Oh, hello. You were at our store earlier today, weren't you?"

"Yeah. Mr. and Ms., I'm really sorry for what my mom did earlier. I told her several times that the coupon wouldn't work and she didn't listen."

"Aw, you don't need to apologize, kid. Sometimes, parents just don't listen and that's always frustrating."

Pixal and Zane's lips formed reassuring smiles and the kid's face seemed to brighten up a bit. Pixal held her chin with a pondering expression, facing Zane. He looked back at her with a curious countenance. After a moment, Pixal turned her head back to the child to add:

"Say, since you really are such a nice kid, I'll offer you a 25% discount off of any device within the Borgstore. Sure it's 25% off and not 40%, but this offer has no time limit. Just come on in to claim it while either Zane or I is on duty, which is usually in the mornings."

The kid opened his mouth a little then closed it, his eyes sparkling with gracious delight. He pumped both of his fists in the air and looked very enthusiastic. 

"Okay! Thank you so much!"

"Don't sweat it, kid."

"And I'll bring my dad next time, too!"

A tall man who looked similar to the child stepped out of the tea shop with a cup full of tea and a cookie. He handed the cookie to his son and approached the couple. 

"Sorry, I hope my son hasn't been bothering you."

"Oh no, not at all, Sir."

"Dad, we should go to the Borgstore tomorrow morning!"

"Mom still hasn't gotten you that laptop yet?"

"Nope."

The kid exchanged his goodbyes with Pixal and Zane and the parent-child pair walked on their way. The couple each took one last sip of their teas before setting the cups down and taking each other's hands once again. 

"That child was such a sweetheart wasn't he, love?"

"Oh, yeah. For sure! And the father of the child seemed really nice, too. I'm sure the Borgstore staff will appreciate that."

Both of them chuckled at Pixal's last statement, squeezing their hands even tighter. Zane leaned forward and kissed his girlfriend's forehead. Immediately afterward, Pixal snuck a kiss to his lips. He spoke softly into her ear:

"Thanks for helping me deal with that entitled Karen, Pixal."

"Oh, is Karen her name?"

"We don't know that yet, but according to my friends' definition of a 'Karen,' she certainly qualifies as one."

"Since when has Karen become a status you earn instead of a name given to you?"

"Who knows?"

They laughed their asses off as they got up, recycled their cups, and linked arm-in-arm for the walk back to the parking lot. 


End file.
